Uncluttering the Mind Ethics of the Fathers, 3:10

A cloudy mind clears for those things that truly matter.

Rabbi Dostai ben Yannai said in the name of Rabbi Meir: If one forgets his Torah study, scripture considers it as if he bears the guilt for his own soul, for the verse says, "Take heed and guard yourself well, lest you forget the things that your eyes saw" (Deuteronomy 4:9). Should one think this applies even if his studies were too difficult for him? The verse therefore continues, "and lest they be removed from your heart all the days of your life." Thus, one does not bear the guilt for his soul unless he sits idle and allows them to become removed from his heart. Ethics of the Fathers, 3:10

In his extraordinary memoir, Skullcaps and Switchblades, David Lazerson describes how the teenagers he taught in New York's inner-city schools, identified as learning disabled and seemingly incapable of remembering the most rudimentary facts in math, English, and history, nevertheless had no trouble retaining the complex lyrics of popular rap music. When asked to explain his perfect recall, one student explained simply, "If you don't know the words, you ain't nuthin'!"

It is remarkable indeed how children demonstrate an ability to remember events, conversations, music lyrics, movie dialogues -- not to mention every inconsistency or perceived injustice ever perpetrated upon them by their parents or teachers. Yet somehow this gift of memory applies itself selectively, often passing by such pedestrian information as school subjects and household chores.

But there's really no mystery. People remember what's important to them, and quickly forget what isn't important to them. Children, whose minds are still uncluttered by years of accumulated (and often useless) information, remember better because their brains are both more flexible and also because their worlds resonate with the excitement of novelty and exploration and discovery. So much is remembered because so much is new, except when it is imposed upon them by authority figures against whom their budding egos are eager to rebel.

THE REBBE AND THE INNER CHILD

Rabbi Abraham Twerski tells the story of a group of Chassidim gathered around their rebbe's table on some festive occasion. The table ran short of supplies, and the rebbe asked if one of his students would go out to procure some more. When no one volunteered, the rebbe said that he had a boy who would run the errand. He then stepped out of the room, presumably to delegate the task.

After a long delay, the rebbe returned carrying the supplies, and the Chassidim realized with embarrassment that there had been no boy; it had been their rebbe himself who had gone off to fetch the groceries.

But the rebbe put them at ease. "Do not think I lied to you," he told them. I do have a ‘boy,' by which I mean the childlike part of myself that I have preserved and nurtured even into my old age. It is the part of me that allows me to find the novelty and adventure in even the most mundane activities."

"If we don't know the words, we ain't nuthin'!"

Even if we can't make a trip to the grocery store exciting, at least we should be able to arouse enthusiasm for those things that are truly important. Indeed, our sages tell us that the words of the Torah should be as new to us every day as they were when Moses received them at Sinai. A tall order, to be sure. But it's not beyond our reach.

Like the boy in David Lazerson's memoir, we can make Torah so relevant that learning is not a chore but a joy, and we can do so by cultivating a simple yet profound appreciation that, "if we don't know the words, we ain't nuthin'!"

AS PRECIOUS AS LIFE ITSELF

The sages compare Torah to water, because just as the body quickly withers and becomes ill without water, so too does the soul wither without Torah. They compare the Torah to a spice that adds flavor to all our comings and goings and adds relish to all the days of our lives. They compare it to a universal remedy, for it preserves our well-being and protects us from the spiritual ailment of too much involvement in the physical. Torah connects us with our past, defines our present, and steers us securely into the future. It adapts to the modern world without compromising its values, and it enables us to change with the times without losing our sense of who we are or what we believe.

And so Rabbi Dostai in the mishna reminds us what should be obvious but what is too easily forgotten. Just as a person might endanger his own physical and emotional well-being by neglecting his diet, his hygiene, his work, his marriage, the weather, the symptoms of ill health, or the traffic on the highway, even more so will he endanger his spiritual well-being if he neglects the welfare of his soul by not setting aside time to involve himself in Torah.

By contemplating the indispensability of Torah, we enable its words engrave themselves permanently and indelibly upon our minds and upon our hearts. All the clutter that occupies our thoughts and muddles our thinking miraculously makes way for the Divine words that we invite into our minds.

Of course, no one's memory is perfect. Even the boy in David Lazerson's school probably forgot a few lyrics from time to time. But if Torah means so little to us that we sit idly and let its words slip away from us, then we will have no excuse when we find ourselves afflicted with the symptoms of spiritual confusion and debilitation. How much wiser to take Rabbi Dostai's words to heart, to unclutter our brains and reap the benefits of a healthy spirit and a healthy soul.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 8

(8)
Reb Mordechai,
January 5, 2017 9:46 AM

It is actually Pirkei Avot 3:8, not 3:10

Rabbi Goldson is quoting from Pirkei Avot 3:8, not 3:10.

As we are talking about 3:10 I just want to say that this is something wonderful to say at a hazkara (yurtzite) of a loved one. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa says....He would say: Anyone from whom the spirit of creations find pleasure, from him the spirit of God finds pleasure.

The Bartenura writes:[About] anyone who is beloved “below” [by many people], it is certain that he is beloved “above” [by Hashem].

However Others writes:How do you know if someone is loved by Hashem? Look at all those around that person, if there are many who feel they are loved by this person, then be certain that person is beloved by Hashem.Trully beautiful.

(7)
Victoria Roth,
January 13, 2007 9:07 AM

A good message.

I have a degree from Yale, but missed out on some Jewish education. When I study now,because I'm older and suffer from certain afflictions, sometimes it is harder to remember things (I am not lacking in intelligence, however); you message is most comforting.

(6)
Sarah,
January 9, 2007 9:24 PM

so true in my life

Its so true in my life... I know so many songs by heart, yet i have so many more important things i still need to work on remembering, even including parts of davening... Thanks for the inpsirational article. I think im really going to work on making time to learn and remember the important things in life..

(5)
Joel Glazier,
January 8, 2007 12:22 PM

Rabbi Goldson's reference to Lazerson's book :)

In the volumes of articles, chat, sites, etc.from which we browse, read to get ideas and information, I was glad I stumbled onto Rabbi Yonason's Goldson's article. An added "bonus" is his reference to an old book by David Lazerson, "Skullcaps and Switchblades." Interestingly I used a reference to this book about teaching years ago when unsucessfully trying to influence legislators, administrators and yes even local "Jewish leaders" about the troubles minimally observant public school teachers face with the Jewish holidays. I don't think my comments add anything to Goldson's fine points, but I am just glad to see a book from yesteryear mentioined now in 2007.

Fine article .

(4)
David Sommer,
January 8, 2007 3:06 AM

More involvement, more commitment

This article reveals the true secret to memory and personal growth. The more seriously we regard the idea, the greater the effect on us. If we can internalize that the Torah is the blueprint of our lives,then we will be more committed. Thank you for the insights and inspiration.

(3)
Yosef,
January 7, 2007 10:01 PM

Dylan vs Moshe Rabbeinu

Gut gesacht! "Every one of them words rang true and glowed like burning coals, pouring off of every page like it was written in my soul..." If I could only trade all the lyrics I've memorized for Torah psukim...sigh. Ah, well, that's what chazarah's all about. --Your shvacher gemorrah chevrusah.

(2)
Anonymous,
January 7, 2007 1:33 PM

Very good article!!

You have diagnosed the problem-- Torahlessness, and the symptoms are what we see all around us--- spiritual confusion and debilitation! May those who have read this take the cure!!!

(1)
Ronnie,
January 7, 2007 8:11 AM

Yo! Rabbi!

Awesome remarks/not written as a lark/You scrawled them with vigor/with Judaic rigor/A quote from the Father's Light/those brothers got it right!/So, I'm down with your cant/what we shall, what we shan't!/It's so great to know ya/My fast-typing Yona!

I want to know about the concept of "sin" due to Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge. The Christian concept of sin revolves around the fall of the man and the "original sin." Does Judaism view it the same way?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Adam and Eve were punished according to their actions. In other words, God laid down the conditions for Adam and Eve to live in the garden, provided they would not eat from the Tree of Knowledge. However, if they were to eat from that tree they would be punished by experiencing death. (If they had not eaten from the tree, they would have remained immortal.)

This sets down the basic principle in Judaism of Reward and Punishment. Basic to this is that every person has the choice of doing good or bad. When a person chooses "good" – as defined by God – he is able to draw close to God. In other words, every individual has a chance to "gain salvation" through his own actions.

My understanding of Christianity, however, is that the Original Sin has infected all of mankind to the point where individuals are incapable of achieving salvation through their own initiative. Man is "totally depraved" and therefore his only hope of salvation is through the cross.

This belief is contrary to the teachings of Judaism. From the Torah perspective, an individual does not need to rely on anyone else to atone for them. In Judaism, sins can be "erased" altogether by sincere repentance and a firm resolution never to repeat the mistakes.

For more on this, read "Their Hollow Inheritances" by Michael Drazin – www.drazin.com

Yahrtzeit of Moses in 1273 BCE (Jewish year 2488), on the same day of his birth 120 years earlier. (Consequently, "May you live to 120" has become a common Jewish blessing.) Moses was born in Egypt at a time when Pharaoh had decreed that all Jewish baby boys be drowned in the Nile River. His mother set him afloat in a reed basket, where he was -- most ironically -- discovered by Pharaoh's daughter and brought to Pharaoh's palace to be raised. When Moses matured, his heart turned to aid the Jewish people; he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Jew, and he fled to Midian where he married and had two sons. God spoke to Moses at the Burning Bush, instructing him to return to Egypt and persuade Pharaoh to "let My people go." Moses led the Jews through the ten plagues, the Exodus, and the splitting of the Red Sea. Seven weeks later, the Jews arrived at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, the only time in human history that an entire nation experienced Divine revelation. Over the next 40 years, Moses led the Jews through wanderings in the desert, and supervised construction of the Tabernacle. Moses died before being allowed to enter the promised Land of Israel. He is regarded as the greatest prophet of all time.

Lack of gratitude is at the root of discontent. In order to be consistently serene, we must master the attribute of being grateful to the Creator for all His gifts. As the Torah (Deuteronomy 26:11) states, "Rejoice with all the good the Almighty has given you." This does not negate our wanting more. But it does mean that we have a constant feeling of gratitude since as long as we are alive, we always have a list of things for which to be grateful.

[Just before Moses' death] God said to him, "This is the Land that I promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Deuteronomy 34:4).

The Midrash says that Moses pleaded to live long enough to be able to enter the Promised Land. He surrendered his soul only after God instructed him to enter Heaven and inform the Patriarchs that the Israelites had come to their Land and that God had indeed fulfilled His promise to give the Land of Israel to their descendants. To fulfill God's will was dearer to Moses than his craving to enter the Land.

It is only natural to cling to life, and the thought of leaving this world is depressing. However, if a person develops the attitude that he lives only in order to fulfill God's will, then life and death are no longer polar opposites, because he lives to do the will of God, and when that will requires that he leave this world, he will be equally obedient.

The seventh day of Adar is the anniversary of Moses' death. He wanted to enter the Promised Land so that he could fulfill the commandments and thereby have a new opportunity to fulfill the Divine wish. He surrendered his soul willingly when he was told that there was a special commandment for him to perform, one that could only be achieved after leaving this earth.

We refer to Moses as Rabbeinu, our teacher. He not only taught us didactically, but by means of everything he did in his life - and by his death, as well.

Today I shall...

try to dedicate my life to fulfilling the will of God, so that even when that will contradicts my personal desires, I can accept it with serenity.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...